JESUS THE ADVERTISER WHO NEVER CAME TO ADVERTISE

The buzz word in advertising today is Search Engine Optimization. It entails the site owner understanding the needs and desires of the customer and preempting them through predicting their search words in order to meet their needs when they arise. It is a complex business and, thanks to Google and other similar entities, it has become an industry unto itself.

And Jesus has become one of the most searched words today. In fact, Google estimates that the world looks for Jesus through their search engines nearly 2 million times a month. What a comfort for us who believe! The world is turning and we are all part of that revolution! Amen!

But more than that, how did Jesus get so popular? How did Jesus go viral? Well, apart from the fact that He is The omnipotent and omniscient God, and He has God our Father and the Holy Spirit with Him, He does something that all advertisers wish they could do. He meets the customers’ specific and unique needs, just in time. To read more on how Jesus Gives Customized Solutions and how Jesus Meets Your Every Need, follow the links given. But for now, let us look at how His ability to meet needs just in time changes lives and creates advocates, advertisers and evangelists.

“Bless the Lord, O my soul,And forget not all His benefits:” Psalm 103:2

The first lesson that we should take from Jesus is that He advertises by giving benefits.

When He was at the wedding feast and they ran out of wine, Jesus turned water into wine.

“Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim. And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”” John 2:6-10

When the leper came to Jesus, Jesus healed him.

“When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.”Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.” Matthew 8:1-3

Even for the lame man by the pool, who did not really believe he could be healed, Jesus made him rise up, take his bed and walk.

“When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.” John 5:6-9

Any advertiser knows that the best way to reach out is to give the consumer tangible, direct and immediate benefits and Jesus did just that.

But beloved, what is more beautiful is that those benefits still hold true for us today! For Jesus said,

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to My Father. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it.” John 14:12-14

And when benefits are given, lives are changed and the word is spread, just like in the case of the ten lepers.

“Now it happened as He went to Jerusalem that He passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Then as He entered a certain village, there met Him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”So when He saw them, He said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.” Luke 17:11-14

Now, this passage is almost always used to teach us to be thankful to God. And rightly so, because in the latter part of this incident, we are told that only one stopped to thank God.

But think about it, if you were a leper, you were, during those days, because of your condition, a social outcast, as it is written,

“And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying: “Command the children of Israel that they put out of the camp every leper, everyone who has a discharge, and whoever becomes defiled by a corpse.” Numbers 5:1-2

Would you not tell people about Jesus once you got back into civilization? Surely those who knew you would ask how it was that you came to be healed. So what do you think the other nine did when they got back? Undoubtedly tell others about Jesus, just like in the case of the Samaritan woman.

“The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, “Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”” John 4:28-29

Look at how the forgiveness that Jesus gave her changed her life and made her go out, using her own story of adultery, and advertise, share and preach about The One who did not condemn her but set her free. Here is real benefit, life changing benefit.

But benefits should not only go to new customers. Existing customers will feel left out and sidelined if companies only look to benefit new customers and concentrate on getting new sales. Jesus gives us the perfect example in His dealing with Peter.

“So it was, as the multitude pressed about Him to hear the word of God, that He stood by the Lake of Gennesaret, and saw two boats standing by the lake; but the fishermen had gone from them and were washing their nets. Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.”But Simon answered and said to Him, “Master, we have toiled all night and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net.” And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish, and their net was breaking. So they signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.” Luke 5:1-7

This incident brought Peter, literally, to Christ and Peter started to follow Him. And again later after He had risen, Jesus performed the same miracle of provision for Peter.

“Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”They said to him, “We are going with you also.” They went out and immediately got into the boat, and that night they caught nothing. But when the morning had now come, Jesus stood on the shore; yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Then Jesus said to them, “Children, have you any food?”They answered Him, “No.”And He said to them, “Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the multitude of fish.” John 21:2-6

New customer, old customer, Jesus treats us all the same, because He is the same, yesterday, today, forever (Hebrews 13:8). So beloved, that means blessings, protection, provision and love for you never changes. There are no benefits which are only available to new signups that are not available to you.

But beloved, Jesus did not come here to advertise. In fact, He made what we could consider errors in advertising. He told His beneficiaries, more than once, not to tell anyone.

“And Jesus said to him, “See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” Matthew 8:4

And He also never takes credit for the miracles, but instead credits the beneficiaries’ faith for the miracle.

“And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”” Luke 17:19

Jesus did not come to gain glory and fame. Instead, this is why He came.

“I come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” John 10:10

But you know what, order given or not, there is just something about being touched by Jesus that makes you want to do this.

“But so much the more the news spread abroad concerning Him, and great crowds kept coming together to hear [Him] and to be healed by Him of their infirmities.” Luke 5:15 [AMPC]

Indeed, when your life has been touched by Jesus, transformed by Jesus, so much the more, would you want to spread the news.

Beloved, you are right. This is not a message about improving your Search Engine Optimization. This is a message on the love of Jesus, the love of God the Father, and why you, as His beloved child, can rest and take comfort knowing that Jesus loves you, Jesus is for you, Jesus protects you and Jesus only wants the best for you.

There is no mistake why we are reminded to ‘forget not all His benefits’ because He has blessed us with many benefits. And the best thing is, because Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8), His mercies and loving-kindness are new every morning, great and abundant is His stability and faithfulness, because His tender compassions fail not (Lamentations 3:22-23).

So rejoice and take comfort beloved child of God, whatever may befall you, you have Jesus at your side, and He will meet your needs directly, uniquely, specifically, comprehensively, just in time.